Computer-based defect root cause and yield impact determination in layered device manufacturing for products and services

Abstract

A method for evaluating a defect in a device manufactured by a layering process includes generating, with a processing device, a first virtual defect in a first simulated model of the device, and simulating a first manufacturing process associated with the device, wherein the first virtual defect is structurally transformed into a first evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for evaluating a defect in a device manufactured by a layering process, comprising:
 generating, with a processing device, a first virtual defect in a first simulated model of the device; and   simulating a first manufacturing process associated with the device, wherein the first virtual defect is structurally transformed into a first evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the first virtual defect further comprises:
 specifying an initial size of the first virtual defect;   specifying an initial shape of the first virtual defect; and   specifying a material corresponding to the first virtual defect.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the first virtual defect further comprises selecting a defect type from a library of predetermined defect types. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first virtual defect is simulated in three dimensions. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising evaluating an effect of the first evolved defect after the simulation of the first manufacturing process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising incorporating the first virtual defect at a first location in the first simulated model. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating a second virtual defect in a second simulated model of the device;   incorporating the second virtual defect at the first location in the second simulated model;   simulating the first manufacturing process, wherein the second virtual defect is structurally transformed into a second evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process; and   comparing the first evolved defect with the second evolved defect.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating the first virtual defect in a second simulated model of the device;   incorporating the first virtual defect at a second location in the second simulated model;   simulating the first manufacturing process, wherein the first virtual defect is structurally transformed into a second evolved defect at least in part by the manufacturing process; and   comparing the first evolved defect with the second evolved defect.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating the first virtual defect in a second simulated model of the device;   incorporating the first virtual defect at the first location in the second simulated model;   simulating a second manufacturing process associated with the device, wherein the first virtual defect is structurally transformed into a second evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process; and   comparing the first evolved defect with the second evolved defect.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting an actual defect in the device at a manufacturing process step; and   comparing the first evolved defect with the actual defect, wherein the first virtual defect is based on a hypothesis associated with the actual defect and the simulated first manufacturing process is upstream of the manufacturing process step.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting an actual defect in the device at a manufacturing process step; and   evaluating a yield impact of the first evolved defect, wherein the first virtual defect is based on the actual defect and the simulated first manufacturing process is downstream of the manufacturing process step.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the first virtual defect, the first simulated model, the simulated first manufacturing process and the first evolved defect in a knowledge base. 
     
     
         13 . A system for evaluating a defect in a device manufactured by a layering process, comprising:
 a virtual defect generator configured to generate a first virtual defect in a first simulated model of the device; and   a process simulator configured to simulate a first manufacturing process associated with the device, wherein the first virtual defect is structurally transformed into a first evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the virtual defect generator is further configured to specify an initial size of the first virtual defect, an initial shape of the first virtual defect, and a material corresponding to the first virtual defect. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising an effect evaluator configured to evaluate an effect of the first evolved defect after the simulation of the first manufacturing process. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the process simulator is further configured to incorporate the first virtual defect at a first location in the first simulated model. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual defect generator is further configured to generate a second virtual defect in a second simulated model of the device, the process simulator is further configured to incorporate the second virtual defect at the first location in the second simulated model and simulate the first manufacturing process, the second virtual defect being structurally transformed into a second evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process, and the effect evaluator is further configured to compare the first evolved defect with the second evolved defect. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual defect generator is further configured to generate the first virtual defect in a second simulated model of the device, the process simulator is further configured to incorporate the first virtual defect at a second location in the second simulated model and simulate the first manufacturing process, the first virtual defect being structurally transformed into a second evolved defect at least in part by the manufacturing process, and the effect evaluator is further configured to compare the first evolved defect with the second evolved defect. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual defect generator is further configured to generate the first virtual defect in a second simulated model of the device, the process simulator is further configured to incorporate the first virtual defect at the first location in the second simulated model and simulate a second manufacturing process associated with the device, the first virtual defect being structurally transformed into a second evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process, and the effect evaluator is further configured to compare the first evolved defect with the second evolved defect. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product for evaluating a defect in a device manufactured by a layering process, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:   first program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to generate a first virtual defect in a first simulated model of the device; and   second program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to simulate a first manufacturing process associated with the device, wherein the first virtual defect is structurally transformed into a first evolved defect at least in part by the first manufacturing process.